Coronation Shopping Plaza: Bukit Timah's royal, genteel 'kampung'

Mr Leong Swee Meng (above) of My Cosy Corner has been serving up his popular popiah for the past 16 years at Coronation Shopping Plaza. The 35-year-old mall has seen many changes among its tenants, and despite competition from new malls, retains its base of loyal regulars. -- ST PHOTOS: DESMOND FOO

Mr Leong Swee Meng of My Cosy Corner has been serving up his popular popiah for the past 16 years at Coronation Shopping Plaza (above). The 35-year-old mall has seen many changes among its tenants, and despite competition from new malls, retains its base of loyal regulars. -- ST PHOTOS: DESMOND FOO

Mr Leong Swee Meng (above) of My Cosy Corner has been serving up his popular popiah for the past 16 years at Coronation Shopping Plaza. The 35-year-old mall has seen many changes among its tenants, and despite competition from new malls, retains its base of loyal regulars. -- ST PHOTOS: DESMOND FOO

Mr Leong Swee Meng of My Cosy Corner has been serving up his popular popiah for the past 16 years at Coronation Shopping Plaza (above). The 35-year-old mall has seen many changes among its tenants, and despite competition from new malls, retains its base of loyal regulars. -- ST PHOTOS: DESMOND FOO

By Yeo Sam Jo

Standing amid a prime Bukit Timah neighbourhood dotted with landed houses and prestigious schools, Coronation Shopping Plaza is hardly what one might call a kampung, or village in Malay.

But that is exactly how some describe the 35-year-old mall, where shop owners and their regular customers have struck up royally long friendships and are on a first-name basis.

"It is a nostalgic neighbourhood centre," said Mr Alan Chong, 59, who opened Alan Optics there in 1986.

"People say, 'Your place is not luxurious, not high class, but I love to come here.'